XIII. A) Read this letter from Heide to her friend in America. Are there any verbs which you can use to describe changes in your life during the last year?

Dear Stacey,

1 December

How are you? I’ve got a lot of news for you. Things have changed quite a lot since I last wrote to you. I’ve got married, and I now live with my husband. We’ve moved to a different part of Berlin and we now live in Potsdam. I’ve stopped smoking and I feel much healthier now. I’ve found a new job and I can work from home – which is good because the most important news is I’ve just had a baby. He’s one month old and very beautiful.

Here are some recent photos. It would be nice to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Heide.

b) Write full sentences which describe some changes in your life.

Note the structure How long is it since … ? E.g.: How long is it since you had a holiday? It’s two years since I had a holiday.

XIV. In this exercise you have to put in since or for.

1. Tom and I have known each other ……. six months.

2. It’s been raining ………. I got up this morning.

3. I haven’t seen Jack ……. Monday.

4. He’s been waiting for her ……. 8 o’clock.

5. Tom’s father has been a policeman ……. 20 years.

6. Have you been learning English ……… a long time?

7. ………. Christmas, the weather has been quite mild.

8. Ann has been on holiday ……… three days.

9. That’s a very old car. I’ve had it ……… ages.

10. Andrew has had a beard …… he was thirty.

11. Ann has had a cold ……. the last few days.

12. I have wanted to go to the moon ……. I was a child.

13. Jack has lived in Bolton ……. he was born.

• The Present Perfect always tells us something about the present. “He has lost his key” tells us that he hasn’t got it now.

• The Past Simple tells us only about the past. If we say “He lost his key”, we don’t know whether he has it now or not. We only know that he lost it at some time in the past.

• Do not use the Present Perfect for happenings or actions which are not connected with the present (historical events). E.g.: How many symphonies did Beethoven compose?

• If you ask for and give more information about experiences, such as when, why, how etc. you use the Past Simple.

E.g.: When did you stay in hospital? In 1999.

XV. Mark the Present Perfect or the Past Simple form of the verb.

1.	I	have never driven never drove		a car in my life.
2.	I	have left left		my secondary school in 1989.
3.	We	haven’t met didn’t meet		before. My name’s John.
4.	Where	have you bought did you buy		your coat?
5.	What	have you paid did you pay		for your new house
6.	How long	have you been were you		here now?
7.	Last Sunday	I have got up I got up		at eleven.
8.	Have you seen Did you see		the latest Harrison Ford film?